Juno Reveals Secrets of Ammonia Storms on Jupiter

The Juno spacecraft orbiting Jupiter just revealed mechanisms driving mammoth storms in the Jovian atmosphere.

Storms on Jupiter form ammonia-rich hail — called mushballs — in the atmosphere of the giant planet, new research reveals. Investigators believe these tempests play an important role in regulating the Jovian atmosphere.

Shallow lightning is seen by the Juno spacecraft emanating from clouds rich in ammonia.

In the center of this JunoCam image, small, bright “pop-up” clouds seen rise above the surrounding features. Clouds like these are thought to be the tops of violent thunderstorms responsible for shallow lighting.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill

Large quantities of ammonia normally found in the atmosphere of Jupiter can be captured within these mushballs and fall into the depths of the massive world.

Juno on the Storm…

Prior to the arrival of the Juno spacecraft at Jupiter, astronomers had noted lower-than-expected levels of ammonia in the upper atmosphere of the giant world. Following the arrival of Juno at Jupiter in July 2016, astronomers found higher concentrations of ammonia near the center of the planet than was seen closer to the poles. These findings remained a mystery — until now.

“While most latitudes exhibit a low abundance, the Equatorial Zone of Jupiter has an abundance of ammonia that is high and nearly uniform with depth. In parallel, the Equatorial Zone is peculiar for its absence of lightning, which is otherwise prevalent most everywhere else on…